Blue Ribbon schools: Four Florida schools are selected as 2016 National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. Those chosen are Northside Christian Elementary School, St. Petersburg; State College of Florida Collegiate School, Bradenton; Somerset Arts Conservatory School, Pembroke Pines; and the Design and Architecture Senior High School, Miami. They are among 329 U.S. schools honored. redefinED. Patch.
Bilingual preschools: More than 200 preschool students at nine Orange County elementary schools are being taught in both English and Spanish, thanks to a $1.6 million grant from the Helios Education Foundation. The district is getting an assist from the Orlando Repertory Theatre, which is helping teachers learn techniques for teaching a second language. Orlando Sentinel.
Retention reconsidered: The Hernando County School District, one of six named along with the state in a suit over the state’s retention policy for third-graders, is reconsidering its hard-line position on students who opt out of taking the state’s standardized tests. School officials say they might use a computer testing program called i-Ready to determine if third-graders are ready for promotion, or permit students who opt out to present a portfolio of their work throughout the school year. Tampa Bay Times.
Financial problems: The Hillsborough County School District makes another move to save money. This time, the district is ordering a freeze on out-of-county travel. Exceptions will be made, but they have to be approved by Chief of Staff Alberto Vazquez. Gradebook.
Child-abuse program: A child-abuse prevention program will expand to Duval County middle-schoolers next spring. Teen Safety Matters training will teach students about bullying, cyberbullying, abuse, digital safety, relationships, sexual assault and human trafficking. Florida Times-Union. WJCT.
State accountability: Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush squares off with two California education officials on school accountability, and touts Florida’s A-F grading system. California uses a dashboard guide that shows several measures of school performance. Education Next.
Schools’ water problem: Thirty Brevard County schools are under a mandatory boil-water order at least through Friday. A lightning strike temporarily knocked out a Melbourne water treatment plant, and when power was restored the water pressure was below the minimum required by the state. Florida Today. WKMG. Bay News 9.
School calendar: Orange County schools will begin the next school year on Aug. 14, 2017, and end May 30, 2018. according to the calendar approved by the school board. Orlando Sentinel.
Makeup days: Manatee school officials say two days lost to Hurricane Hermine will be made up. Students will attend school an extra half-day on both Oct. 5 and Dec. 7, which were originally scheduled as early-release days, and for a full day Dec. 22, which was supposed to be the first day of Christmas vacation. Patch.
Flag confiscated: A Confederate flag is confiscated from a Manatee High School student during Spirit Week after another student complained. The student will get his flag returned eventually. Bradenton Herald.
School property: The Manatee County School Board isn’t ready to give up ownership of a quarter-acre of land, even after Superintendent Diana Greene recommended the property be turned over to an adjacent homeowner. Bradenton Herald.
Personnel changes: A new principal is appointed to Ocala’s Sunrise Elementary School, which was designated by the state as a turnaround school. Ocala Star Banner.
Attorney fees: Members of the Citrus County School Board are at odds over how much the district should be spending on attorney fees. Last year the board paid almost $200,000 in legal fees, up from about $96,000 in the 2012-2013 school year. Citrus County Chronicle.
Bus crash lawsuit: The parents of two Bryant Elementary School students whose school bus drove into a lake in Tampa last year are suing the Hillsborough County School District. Gradebook.
Football playoffs: Frank Beasley, the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Director of Athletics and football administrator, talks about the new playoffs format in this Q&A. TCPalm.
Opinions on schools: I’m a black woman whose relatives fought for civil rights, and I still don’t understand why anyone, especially the NAACP, would oppose families having a choice in education. Virginia Walden Ford, Daily Signal. The Hillsborough County School District needs to come clean about the severity of a budget crisis and put all options on the table for addressing it. Tampa Bay Times. If the Legislature doesn’t learn to show public school teachers more love — or at least respect — then warnings of a potential teacher shortage will turn into a chronic problem that will hurt the state’s 2.8 million public school students. Sun-Sentinel. Thanks to a teacher who was unfairly pushed out of the profession. Josh Sheptow, Sun-Sentinel. It’s time for the Duval County School Board members to start acting like adults. Ron Littlepage, Florida Times-Union. How many people in Sarasota are interested in a Greek immersion school for their kids? Tom Lyons, Sarasota Herald-Tribune. A teacher’s open letter to students in Okaloosa County on the woeful state of their writing skills. Northwest Florida Daily News. Every American should be concerned about a national study recently released by the Learning Policy Institute that warns of a looming education crisis spawned by a nationwide teacher shortage. Citrus County Chronicle. It’s time the Florida teachers union and the NAACP stop fighting school choice. Marc Coats, Florida Politics.
Student enrichment: Hall of Fame football coach Tony Dungy tells hundreds of Pinellas County students to start thinking about their future, as part of the Dads Take Your Child to School Day. Tampa Bay Times. WUSF. Enrollment in Mosley High School’s pre-med program has more than doubled this year, to about 200 students. Panama City News Herald.
